Anyone going to Graduate or Law School?

[Unregistered]

I am currently experiencing about six months off from school after graduating college in December and attending law school in this coming August. During this break, my mind has become overwhelmed with questions about what I am doing with my life (mainly, where will I go to school--the choice seems to determine where I will live and work for many years to come). After a scholarship weekend at a law school, I feel completely incomparable to these put-together, succesful post-yuppies. It's like I have wasted the past 6 years of my life partly with a boyfriend and trying to be cool when I should've been in the Peace Corps, Europe, or something. Also, I am a small-town girl looking to move to the big city and am totally freaked-out! Any similar experiences out there?

[Phoenix]

I have considered law school and done a few tours of schools. First, in deciding where to go to school - where you go doesn't necessarily dictate where you'll live after graduation. Meaning, if you decide to go to school in State Z, it doesn't mean you'll necessarily live in State Z after you graduate (although certain schools do talk about particular laws for the state that you attend school in, I believe that most try to be general in their teachings). I'd concentrate more on what type of law you're looking to practice if you know (business, intellectual property, etc.) and what type of firm you're looking to work at after graduation (small, large, etc.). What type of school you attend may affect where you'll be able to get a job (if you're looking to work at a big firm, for instance).

Don't feel like you've wasted part of your life because you didn't join the Peace Corp or travel abroad. Some people have the money to do it, some people do it because it looks good on their resume, and some people genuinely enjoy these types of activities. Maybe that isn't the path for you and that's OK.

I'd recommend taking a tour of the schools you're interested and sitting in on a class or two while you're there. All of the schools that I've toured are more than willing to let you do that. Some arrange it for you and some want you to take the initiative to talk to the professor and arrange it on your own. And I've never met a professor who wasn't willing to let you sit in. Talk to some of the students in the classes and ask them questions about what the atmosphere is like (stuck-up, competitive, friendly, etc.) and what kind of social gatherings there are in addition to what the curriculum and work-load are like. You may find that it's easier to meet people than you think...so don't let being a small fish in a big pond scare you.